TELEGRAM (NON-DELIVERY).

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he is aware that on the morning of 15th March last a telegram was sent from Bangor by Mr. Roberts, of Aber, near Bangor, to a veterinary surgeon, addressed, Rumsey Williams, Carnarvon, requesting his immediate attendance on account of the illness of Mr. Roberta's mare, was not delivered, but was returned to the sender by post the next day, resulting in a delay of 20 hours in the veterinary surgeon's attendance on the mare, which was a valuable shire mare in foal, and died in consequence; whether he is aware that Mr. Rumsey Williams is the only veterinary surgeon of that name in Carnarvon, and, in fact, the only one besides his own assistant; whether, seeing that letters addressed to him in the same terms as the telegram are frequently delivered, he will explain why this telegram was not delivered; and will steps be taken to prevent the recurrence of such inconvenience and loss to the public?

A telegram to the effect stated in the Question was sent
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on the 15th March by Mr. Roberts, of Aber. The non-delivery of the telegram was brought to the notice of the Postmaster General by Mr. Roberts, who was informed that, although the address of the telegram was strictly not sufficient for the purposes of delivery, the Postmaster General was of opinion that, in view of the nature of the telegram, special efforts should have been made to get it into the hands of the right person. Mr. Rumsey Williams is the only veterinary surgeon of the name in Carnarvon, but the explanation given by the Postmaster for the non-delivery was that there are several persons of the name in Carnarvon, and that in order to avoid difficulty it is necessary that, unless an abbreviated address has been registered, the full address should be given. The opinion of the Postmaster General was duly conveyed to the Postmaster, and regret was expressed to Mr. Roberts.